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Around this time of the year I would normally be preparing to leave Australia for at least six months to spend time in our destinations. While I’m away I trial new Wandering the World itineraries, or walk my favourite paths, escort groups of experienced or brand-new walkers and spend time researching all the best places to stay, eat and drink.  Naturally, I will dearly miss doing that this year, the desire to travel burns strong within, but I’m so lucky to have an absolute treasure trove of special memories, wonderful encounters, mental postcards, unforgettable meals, and unique  shared experiences to sustain me during this time.

One bonus of staying put and working from home has given me, is the chance to pause and reflect, and do some “mental time travel”. For me, this means reconstructing personal travel events from the past, and more excitingly, imagining possible travel scenarios of the future.  I have found I have the time and space to really think about what more Wandering the World can be, do and bring to our wonderful walkers in the future. I am really looking forward to working on new experiences, such as our not-for-profit walks in Australia to support our bushfire affected regions, fine tuning existing trips, continuing to put that unique Wandering the World personal touch into all our adventures and sharing what I love, when the time is right.

I have said for many years now that the beautiful Santiago de Compostela, feels like my second home. This wonderful city is the finishing point of the great Camino pilgrimage. As I have completed this addictive walk 24 times, I have had the joy of walking into the city’s huge square and gazing up at the spectacular Cathedral many times over. I have spent days and weeks living like a local and know the city well. 
 

One of my great pleasures is dining in the local restaurants and I have many favourites to recommend and share with our Wandering the World walkers. One particular tapas bar is managed by the wonderful Yoli. I walk into this bustling restaurant past rows of irresistible tapas and racks of wine and I am greeted warmly and loudly by all the staff.  Yoli, (lucky she is small!! welcomes me by flying through the air with a lunging bear hug), before insisting…”ONE DAY, ONE DAY - I will walk the Camino with you”. It always sounded a little funny to me as Yoli is Spanish, so I thought it would always be me walking the Camino with her not the other way around - it is her backyard after all !  

 

Included like a close family member, I have got to know Yoli well and I was absolutely honoured to be invited to her wedding.  It brings a tear to my eye, and warmth to my heart, and I know I can say with confidence I will be back there one day to enjoy the same embrace. 

Mulling over this wonderful memory, I realise that this sort of experience is the essence of Wandering the World. The personal encounters, the attentiveness, the desire to make people feel a part of the moment, to provide a unique experience and to create special memories that will sustain us through to the times when are able to travel once again. 
 
We are here when the time is right!